let's bring in our senior congressional correspondent dana basch, she has the latest. >> reporter: there's so much political theater around here right now, you could say tickets. one of today's acts was the house leaving. lawmakers streaming out of the capitol hill, racing to their cars to get to the airport and go home. it's a scene you usually see on a thursday afternoon or friday morning, not wednesday at noon. >> good morning. >> house republican leaders told members they're free to leave, because they have nothing to vote on. >> i understand that you are saying legislation has been put on the floor. when it comes to just pure optics of the house leaving with the fiscal cliff right in front of us -- >> i'll be here and i'll be available at any moment to sit down with the president to get serious about solving this problem. >> in fact, sending lawmakers home is a way for house republicans to illustrate their current message, your move, mr. president. >> we need a response from the white house, we can't negotiate with ourselves. >> john boehner made a point at expressing dismay the presi